PJ wants gov, mayor in CPA

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia is seeking representation in the Cebu Port Commission of the governor and the mayor of the city where most of the port facilities are located.

Garcia filed House Bill No. 1576, which seeks to strengthen the Cebu Port Authority by amending certain provisions of Republic Act No. 7621, the Charter of the CPA.

Incumbent Cebu City North District Rep. Raul Del Mar principally authored Republic Act 7621.

Under the law, the power of the CPA is vested in a commission composed of the Secretary of the Transportation and Communications or his duly designated undersecretary as chairman, a vice chairman and five other commissioners.

These other commissioners are appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines representing ship owners and shipping operators, cargo-handling, labor sector and the business sector.

Garcia said the law fails to provide for representation from the local government units in whose territorial jurisdictions the port facilities governed by the authority are located.

“Thus, while the commission is vested with the power to determine policies affecting each and every inhabitants of the Province of Cebu, including the highly urbanized and independent component cities, on a matter imbued with the highest public interest representation is denied in the determination of such policies,” Garcia said.

He further said that while LGUs have the duty, under Section 16 of the Local Government Code, to ensure the general welfare, they are not represented in an authority that has almost plenary powers over facilities where public health, safety and convenience should be ensured.

Among his proposed amendment is to make the present five commissioners into seven to include the Governor of the Province of Cebu and the local chief executive of the highly urbanized city or independent component city where the majority of the port facilities within the jurisdiction of the commission are located as ex-officio members.

“There is a need, therefore, to correct the unbalanced situation by ensuring local government representation in the Authority,” he said. (FREEMAN)